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CHAPTER EIGHT:
HER
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After Dumbledore's death, the wizarding world was in mayhem.
It started two weeks after he fell to his death in Hogwarts and when the aftermath begun more half the wizarding world went into hiding. To begin, at the beginning of the summer the Ministry was being regularly attacked and buildings were being burnt everyday. Attacks were happening everyday and were about as common as it got. More people switched sides, both in finally revealing whom they truly supported and many others did so in fear. Families went missing and could not be found. Any magical stores owned by non-purebloods were being set on fire with the people in them. All secret organisations - such as the newly known Order Of The Phoenix - were being hunted down, kidnapped, pressed for information before being killed. This wasn't just in the Wizarding World, the muggle one had been almost as bad: everyday more people were either being revealed as dead or missing.
It should also be acknowledged that it had also either been raining or foggy for the last few months: the fog was being caused by the dementors and the rain was presumably Voldemort's doing. Some days lightning would occur for hours, something strange. In short, everything was messed up.
But the entire world could notice how this time around, Voldemort had resorted to becoming crueler. Somehow he was on a completely different scale of wickedness compared to how he used to be during the first Wizarding war.
It was as if there were two versions of him now.
(And he was getting harder to handle).
That was what happened over the last three months in the Wizarding World, bringing it right to today which was the first of August: and to the residents at the Weasley Burrow, it was Bill and Fleur's highly anticipated wedding day.
A day with the intention of not only marrying a finely fitted couple (in some peoples opinion) but also with the intention of providing as a distraction for the inevitable approaching battle.
The ceremony only happened at half three in the day and was held underneath a large, long grand white marquee, which was being held up by golden poles. In side the marquee, there were over a dozen golden tables spread evenly around the room and were sprinkled with dozens of different colored flowers. At this tables serving wonderful servings of food were a host of white-robed waiters that arrived at the same time as the band.
Outside the tent, those waiters and some members of the band were sitting on the green grass, a cloud of smoke above their heads as they bickered amongst one another. The sun was beginning to set and the goldenness was spreading throughout the entire garden. The sky was clear and the birds were out chirping loudly. Many people were admiring the butterflies flying around the tents or the different colored glowing lanterns around, giving light.
Charlie Weasley, much to no ones surprise, made the best entrance possible and arrived on one of his many dragons from Romania. He brought three dragons with him and everyone could only stay back and watch the terrifying creatures fly around the limited space. However, the issue was one of them got out of the magic barrier and had been missing for over an hour. It was the enormous black one, about four times the size of the rest of them, who Charlie claimed had been throwing a fit for the last few months. The dragon was apparently very temperamental compared to the rest.
Outside, far away but close enough to those people was Sirius Black. He had been wearing a black suit, gifted to him by Jackie Carter, who was inside the party and being accompanied by her fiancé Remus Lupin.
He was kneeling down in front of the ancient cherry blossom tree that Mrs Weasley planted over a decade ago and was admiring one of the flowers planted beside it. It was a white one, with large overwhelming leaves from the sides. A simplistic looking flower but once you got to take a closer look, it was beautiful and rather alluring.
He commented loudly, "I've always thought these weren't the nicest flowers. Don't know why you'd want to name anyone after one."
"Really? Well I always thought naming someone after a constellation just showed plain out stupidity." The voice of Magnolia Aleksander replied from behind him.
He turned. It should be acknowledge that even after all this time, Magnolia Aleksander was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had been a tall slim woman, slightly shorter than Sirius but tall enough that she could meet his eyes, topped with medium length brown hair. Her hair had only been slightly longer than it usually had been because all of the hairdressers had closed down and it was to risky too leave. She was wearing a long velvet dress that swept off the grass as she walked, added with the star necklace Sirius got her when they were eighteen. Her lips were red, the same color as they had usually been painted. Big brown gentle welcoming eyes that no one would fear unless she wanted them too.
He stood up from his spot and walked over towards her, meeting her halfway when she came to his arms. He took her hands into his and brought them to his lips, brown eyes meeting lively grey when he leaned forward and kissed her. Hand pulling her to him gently by her waist whereas she gently caressed his cheek before pulling back.
"Are you alright? You disappeared right after dessert," Magnolia pointed out, concern written all over her angelic face. Her features converted into worry at this recent behavior, he was zoning out a lot since they arrived to the burrow. "You've been acting strange ever since we've arrived."
"The wedding," He mentioned, flicking his head back to the tent with a look of confusion. Sirius had been thinking over the last few months and questioning some of his own choices he ever made. Specifically the ones he made when he escaped Azkaban. "Why did we never get married? After the first time, when I got you back from Marcos, why didn't we try again? Or when I got escaped?"
Magnolia paused, brows furrowing as she recalled the earlier years of their relationship. She remembered the day of their wedding. It was slightly blurry and she couldn't remember all the details but that was to be expected surely. She remembered Marcos coming and kidnapping her right before her and Sirius got to say the 'I do's', and she remembered being in the room where Marcos hid her. She remembered almost dying if it wasn't for Sirius who came in and got her last minute.
"We didn't have the time." Magnolia breathed, frowning for a long moment. "You were sent to Azkaban shortly after it happened."
Sirius heard the tone of guilt in her voice and refused to accept it immediately, "It wasn't your fault, there was nothing you could do. Your magic stopped working."
Magnolia paused, she could not stop the guilt she felt. Sirius, the man she loved, the only man she ever loved, spent twelve years in that place. All alone. She should have found a way, "I should have done something....I should have found a way. You should have never had to spend all the time in that awful place. I don't know why I didn't--"
"We've all the time in the world now. We should have gotten married right after I got you back," He whispers, leaning his forehead against hers and she welcomed the touch, his touch. The most comforting one to her, always would be. "It doesn't matter."
Magnolia wished she could figure out why her magic stopped working for all those years and why she never tried to help Sirius escape or free him. She had the magic. She should have tried harder to get her magic to work, she should have tried harder. Why did she spend all these years moping around? It was wrong of her.
Unlike her.
"All the time in the world." Magnolia repeated, smiling at him and he gave her a smile that made her believe no harm could come of either of them.
"Shall we head back inside?" Sirius questioned swiftly, wrapping his arms around her back. She once again welcomed his touch and wrapped herself into his torso. She nodded into his side as they made their way back into the tent. The two of them entered the tent again and dodged the flying glasses of champagne around the room. The music was loud and many of the Weasley's, such as Ron and Charlie were singing in the middle of the room. Arthur and Molly were dancing with one another, beside Fred and Ginny.
Phoebe was dancing with James, her head on his chest. Over the last few months, it was evident to everyone that James took over the role as her parent ever since she moved in with him at the end of May. She spent the summer months alongside him and Harry being locked away and in hiding. The three of them went into hiding and had not been seen until about a week ago when they finally came out. They were waiting until Harry's birthday originally to make sure he would still have the trace on him but after consideration decided Harry would break the trace. This would be less predictable for Voldemort.
There was a clear affection for Phoebe from James. He treated her like one of his own.
"It's nice, isn't it?" Magnolia muttered to the man standing beside her, Sirius glanced away from the dancing pair and towards her. "How he's taken her under his wing."
Sirius nodded in admiration, "Don't know how he does it. Can't imagine the pressure he must feel with the two of them."
"Ever thought about having any?" Came a new voice and Molly walks over in between them, happily handing them two large champagne glasses. Behind her Arthur waddled a bit, letting them know the two of them weren't holding back on the drink for the night.
There was an awkward look shared between the two of them at this. The question was frequently asked by many people, especially over the commotion of the last few days. Every time people saw them together they were asked it. Magnolia knew where Sirius stood about having any children. He had a strong dislike at the thought of having a child, he always did. He always thought it would be a curse to have a child, believed that the pressure of having to constantly worry and mind a person would be too much to handle. Magnolia understood it, he didn't have good parents, neither of them did, they'd be horrible at it.
(He also said he didn't believe he would ever care for someone that much).
Magnolia, on the other hand, had always wanted children, even just one. She always wanted to have a family. That hope was taken away from her by her mother. However, with Sirius views and her mothers curse (the one that prevented her from ever having a child), the possibility of ever having one was out of reach.
(It didn't matter anyway, she'd be a horrible mother and neither she or Sirius knew how to handle a child).
"Sirius, a father?" Came a new voice and Remus followed by Jackie arrived over with them. A short laugh followed from Sirius lips at this, "Yeah, the day that happens..."
"Sure pigs will fall out of the sky." Jackie mumbled.
Sirius had always had a strong opinion on the idea of fatherhood. He believed it to be a waste of time and effort. Some might agree, some might disagree. Nonetheless, Sirius believed being a parent, a father, was something no one really needed. He never fancied the idea of having to think of someone (other than Magnolia who would always come first) when making hard decisions, someone else to factor into his mindset. Besides, he was certain it was impossible - for him at least - to care for someone in that way. His love for Magnolia was the strongest love there was. Often, he voiced this to James who argued completely differently. He claimed he wouldn't know unless he had a child himself. Sirius didn't see where the parental instinct came from.
"Very funny." Sirius mused in agreement and conversation followed about the Wedding Day of Remus and Jackie: and how they met at the Hospital when Remus came in with a sprained ankle.
Magnolia looked around the room, scanning the faces with a sense of wondering at some of the people. She recognised most of them, but was confused who many of them were. Some people she knew but they seemed to have aged a lot since the last time she saw them, many had kids too. Where did the years go? She wondered to herself and only stopped thinking about this when Sirius gave her hand a squeeze.
However her eyes travelled around the room again, offering the happy couple a smile before noticing the only one who was not smiling. In the corner of the room, there was a boy who had been in disguised as one of the Weasley cousins, going as Benny, Barney or something along those lines. He was sitting slumped in his chair, a scowl on his face and was looking out on the dance floor. He was looking from Ron and Hermione (who were dancing very closely to one another at the expense of Viktor Krum who watched them jealously) to Ginny and Phoebe (who were hand held tightly spinning one another) with a strong look of thought.
Like he was almost confused.
Magnolia had noticed this and whilst Sirius went to the drinks table, she went towards the boy.
"If you stare any harder at them, someone might think you seem jealous." Magnolia commented cheerfully, sitting down beside him.
She raised her hand carefully and swished it over his head, revealing Harry James Potter. Unlike her, the rest of the party could only see the Weasley red haired cousin. One of the many perks of her magic. Sitting down was newly turned seventeen Harry Potter. He was slumped back in chair, arms folded across his chest and green eyes full of question. Black hair sticking up in different directions and matching his suit. He was a boy who had been put through more guilt this summer than anyone, every death that was happening he had blamed himself for. He had spent the summer being restricted to the four walls of a hidden house far away from here with his father and Phoebe. In those months, she heard that he had become rather tormented with himself and was acting odd. Everyone could see how there was a ring of cloud darkness above his face and his smiles weren't genuine. Underneath his famous eyes had been a set of purple lines that told her he wasn't getting enough sleep.
"Everyone's dancing." He stated loudly. "I hate dancing."
Magnolia thought she misheard him, "Right...."
"Do you think it's weird that I've never...clicked with anyone? Romantically I mean." Harry questioned, turning his head to the side and looking at her with a look of discontent. Before she could answer he was letting out his thoughts, "Dad met mum when he was in school, you and Sirius, Ron and Hermione, Phoebe and Ginny are bloody probably going to get married by the end of the year!"
By the time his small rant was over, both of their eyes naturally went to Ginny and Phoebe who were arguably the two most delighted people in the room, apart from the bride and groom of course. Both of them were dancing with one another, arms intertwined with one another. Magnolia had the pleasure of getting to know them both a little more this summer and was sure she never encountered two people were more suited to one another.
(Anyone with eyes could tell how much more confident Phoebe had gotten in her own body and mind with Ginny. The girl had become a lot less stressful about other peoples opinions, probably because she realised the war was going to take so much away from them and every second should not be wasted with worries. Sirius had a theory that James personality had rubbed off on her a bit, which was true in some cases, but Phoebe finally becoming her own person was completely her own action).
(But meeting Ginny Weasley in the kitchens of Hogwarts one night definitely played a big part in her journey.)
Harry scrunched his nose looking at them, people who were all over each other like that was odd to him. He would never be like that with someone.
"I've never liked anyone in the same level that all of yous did." He grumbled.
"Just because you never clicked with anyone in Hogwarts, doesn't mean you won't ever find someone." Magnolia told him in a careful calculated tone. She wondered where this was coming from. "There's a big world outside of Hogwarts, Harry. You'll find someone one day, probably when you least expect it. Love isn't something that can be planned, it just happens."
"I think you can control love." Harry replied after a few moments. "Who you love."
Magnolia, very surprised at that belief, understood it from his perspective. She never seen him act the way James did about Lily or even show a remote interest in anyone. He didn't know how hard it was to try not love someone. He didn't know what it was like to wish you didn't fall for one person but you did. Her parents used to think that you could control the people you loved, technically they saw love as non-conditional thing that made you weak.
"Control love? No, never." Magnolia muttered to him with a laugh, a low one that told Harry he had no idea what it felt like to love.
Harry thought about Cho Chang and Lucinda Williams: two of the only girls he only ever found himself interested in. Cho, in simple, was a crush. He knew Cho was a crush, he found her attractive and there were many things he liked about he but it was just a simple crush. He never went out of his way to be around her or felt that strongly about. Cho felt the same. Also, Harry remembered when they kissed. He remembered being extremely disappointed, not with Cho but himself. He couldn't remember why, it was a fine kiss but he remembered not feeling anything but that's not why he was disappointed.
Then there was Lucinda and he couldn't even try and think as to what motivate him to get with her.
(The only good thing that came from his relationship with Lucinda was his relationship to Phoebe and his fathers affection for Phoebe).
"I can't help but feel like I'm never going to have anyone." Harry mumbled lowly, keeping his eyes on the floor where Bill and Fleur were dancing in one another's arms. It was like all of a sudden he craved some form of intimacy from another person, like he was missing it somehow. How could you miss something you never had? "I know it's pointless considering there's a big chance I'm going die when I have to go up against Voldemort but still."
Magnolia rolled her eyes, "You're not going to die--"
"You don't know that." Harry interrupted.
"I do." Magnolia imputed, discreetly gesturing down towards her hands with a look of certainty. There were many things she found herself beginning to regret as she thought about the last few years of her life: not trying hard enough to stop Sirius going to Azkaban and what happened to Harry. She remembered feeling as though she could barely take care of herself, let alone Harry. She remembered trying to take him in but the Ministry wouldn't allow it. However, she would do everything in her power, all of it, to ensure Voldemort would be gone once and for all. Voldemort ruined everything she cared about deeply, he was the reason Harry was once an orphan, he took away her family. "Nothing will happen to you, Harry."
If Harry Potter knew one thing for certain it was that Magnolia kept her word, he shortly nodded, keeping his eyes on the dancing people.
Harry's head lifted at the song that came on and instantly furrowed his brows. It was 'don't go breaking my heart' by Elton John and one of his favourite songs but he couldn't actually remember why. He sat there with his arms folded for a few moments before getting the urge to, once again, examine the bracelet he found on the ground at Hogwarts. He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out the small piece of jewelry. The charms on it fascinated him, all clearly delicately chosen by someone. He wondered who owned it, he thought, before slipping it back into his pocket.
He looked back out onto the dance floor at all the people.
"I didn't know you like jewelry." Magnolia commented once he put it away. "Yours?"
Harry smiled at her, "Don't know. Found it on the ground at Hogwarts."
Magnolia noticed how he did not attempt to take it out of his pocket again and instead kept the bracelet in his pocket with his hand in it, "Why didn't you throw it out?"
Because I have an odd attachment to it, Harry thought, he felt comforted by the small piece of silver. He found himself spending many time simply analysing the charms, wondering who owned this bracelet. That was the question, who owned it?
"Figured it would look good with the suit," Harry mentioned, sarcasm lacing his tone as he quickly stood up. He bid a goodbye in the direction of Magnolia by saying, "I need some air." and without another word got up and deserted the tent.
"He's been acting weird all summer," James mentioned coming over, he must have noticed the concern on her face. Phoebe, to no ones surprise, follows him. He sits down and looks out the tent where Harry had just left, "Weirder than usual I mean. His mind seems to be fuzzy about things."
"It's true," Phoebe piped in, sitting to Magnolia's left. She was wearing a light beige dress and her hair was grown out to her shoulders, "He spent most of the summer in his room, convinced he was missing something from Hogwarts but couldn't find it in his room, acted like a bloody lunatic so he did."
Magnolia didn't expect anything less, he was a seventeen year old boy with a seemingly immortal psychopath chasing after him. He was just a child, an innocent boy who was targeted for no reason. "It's only expected. I can't imagine how he feels."
Magnolia wished the world had not been so cruel to him.
"I won't let anything happen to him, not again." James muttered the second part lowly so that only they could hear. It didn't make a difference anyway, the party was in full blast and the music was so loud. No one would hear them. Most people had too much to drink as well. "He's been through enough. I haven't even gotten enough time with him, his whole life apart from the years I was dead have been full of danger."
Magnolia went to respond but the noise of the party stops when Molly yells for them to turn off the music. Not even a second later there is a crash from outside that made the entire tent become quiet very quickly. It sounded like someone was trying to break through the protective barriers that lined the house. Another one echoed this time, except far closer. She rose from her seat and searched the tent with her eyes for Sirius. Another crash came this time except it was right outside the tent. Someone grabbed her elbow and she knew by the touch it was Sirius. In the center of the room came a new voice through the patronus of Lynx:
"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming." "The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming." "The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming." "The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."
And everything went to hell after that.
★ ★ ★
By the time that December of 1997 came, things had changed even more in the Wizarding World.
It was easy to look at the world and tell which side was winning: the corrupted side, the wrong side. If that wasn't clear enough, that was Voldemort's side. He was gaining more numbers by the day and it made no sense to any of the people on the opposite side. He had almost double the numbers that Harry's following did. Somehow many people that had sworn they would never switched sides did. It made no sense. Magnolia could not figure out for the life of her where the fear of Voldemort came from. More and more people everyday started to switch sides and were under the impression that Harry did not stand a chance against Voldemort.
(Speaking of Harry, he was currently on the run and missing since August but that wasn't the concern of this).
The point was that from an outside view, it may have seemed like Voldemort was winning. Key word being seemed.
However, the truth of the matter was that Magnolia and Sirius had formed an alliance between them and the people who had remained on the right side, Harry's side.
An organisation of a sort. That's what James called it anyway. A growing group of people who would not sit back in the war and watch more innocent peoples lives being ruined or killed. It happened before and history was repeating itself. Except this time, they had enough and would not let that happen. It started with a few members, mostly people they knew such as the Weasleys or Longbottom's, but then after a little while more people got whisper and joined. The aim of it was to diminish any death eaters in sight, no mercy like beforehand, no hesitations when deciding the faith of other peoples lived.
They were bad people and bad people did not deserve a second chance.
Voldemort had become far more cruel than any of them had anticipated. Thousands were being killed every week and many muggleborn bloodlines were being ended every month. Halfblooded, muggleborn, and even some (such as the Weasleys who were deemed as being blood traitors) purebloods were being targeted at every passing hour. Most people had gone into hiding. Voldemort had been blowing up any suspected places of the old members of the Order Of The Phoenix, graveyards were being blown up, so many horrible things had been happening and it was too hard to control it.
Thus resulted in more of the good people left in the Wizarding World joining the secluded organisation that Magnolia and Sirius formed. Everyday more people (who were checked to make sure they were not spies by an old spell in Magnolia's book that would not allow anyone with pure intentions to last a minute alone with them) had joined them in the beginning of trying to wipe out all the death eaters. It was making a difference, anyone could see that and Magnolia was sure Voldemort was getting scared.
It started in England, but as numbers increased it got harder to simply stay in one spot which is why they started moving out of England and across Europe. It started with Ireland then they went to Scotland (this gave them an upper hand because they got to see the students they knew at Hogwarts and exchange correspondence with McGonagall about any threats near the school. Then they started travelling further to meet witches and wizards who wanted to fight, much further. They formed headquarters in France, Germany, Italy, and Armenia. Along the way of establishing these small orders, they fought every single death eater they encountered.
That brought them to where they were today: Kielder Forest in Northumberland. They came back to England a few weeks ago and had been moving territories every since one of the orders they formed in Germany was found. A selected group of their people had been taken, one child included and no word was heard if they were safe. A few days back Jackie had left to go to Saint Mungo's to aid for some of the injured people. Remus was leaving to go and meet her in a few days. It was nighttime now, and many of the people were out by the campsite. Magnolia, Sirius, James, and Remus all sat at the front on the fire, aimlessly picking at the mashed potatoes and peas one of the woman, Geraldine, made for them.
The campsite was big, and Magnolia had thought their numbers were growing by the day. Around the forest, situated by the lake, was men, women, and children. All of different ages. There were teenagers even, some of them came from schools across Europe and had left.
"Do you think they're alive?" Sirius asked, keeping his eyes on the roaring fire in front of them all. It was winter now, December to be exact, and it was freezing. It was typically bright in the morning time but once six o'clock hit, it became freezing. Magnolia was projecting a heat spell around the forest but even at that everyone could feel the cold. Sirius was referring to the headquarters in Germany, a small city called Oberammergau to be exact. Sirius and Magnolia loved the city and never wanted to leave. "It's been days."
The way they were corresponding was by fire projection but there was no sign of them answering yet. The people could have been found out or they might have needed help but they all vowed to never put themselves in vulnerable positions. It was a war, they all entered this knowing not everyone would live.
That never made it easier.
"Who knows who is alive at this stage." James mumbled so lowly almost none of them caught it. He was a wreck and spent almost every hour of the day checking the Marauders Map to see if Phoebe was still in Hogwarts and if (by an miracle) Harry's name was on it. He had been missing for months now, months. The only thing they got to believe that Harry was alive was the one sighting of him that had been seen of him in a small village in England in October. Other than that, nothing. James had been pulling out his hair every night in worry. He was a mess and the toll of the war was taking it's affect on him. The last time James spoke with Harry, the night of Bill and Fleur's wedding, he was telling him about how he felt something was wrong and he needed to stop the hunt for the Horcruxes.
In short, Harry was under the impression that something was more important than the war. But he even seemed like he did not know what he was trying to say.
And James had no idea what Harry was doing now.
"I can open a portal," Magnolia finally suggested and there was an instant shaking of the three men's heads at this.
"No." Sirius imputed quickly. "It's too dangerous."
"You're probably the only reason half of us here aren't dead." Remus replied gesturing behind him to the kids playing by the lake with their parents. "It's hard to sit back and do nothing but sometimes it's the only way."
"Something doesn't feel right though." Magnolia mumbled, keeping her eyes on the fire. Something about the situation was unsettling. "Voldemort was never this thorough before. The numbers in the Daily Prophet every day? How can he be doing all of this by himself?"
"Jackie told me she heard he has an accomplice." Remus mumbled. "Apparently a man and a woman."
"Any names?" Sirius asked.
"There's one man in Saint Mungo's that Jackie said is refusing to speak to anyone about what he saw. He is one of the ones from the accident on Mystret Street a month ago." Remus stated and they knew instantly what he was speaking of. It was the one where a bunch of bodies were found in an old headquarters in London. "All he said was that there was a woman, black hair and a man who butchered them."
"Monsters." Remus mumbled. "So clearly Voldemort has someone doing his bookings."
The night carried on as usual and James was the first to leave to try and speak with Phoebe and Ginny through a separate fireplace. Remus went to his own tent to try and find more information about the horcruxes and if any spells in Magnolia's grimoire would help them locate them. Magnolia and Sirius soon deserted into their own tent.
The tent was small but comfortable. More comfortable than any of the cheap hotels they stayed in over the last few weeks. You'd be surprised at the quality of some of the beds they payed for, especially in one town in Italy. Magnolia remembered Sirius being broke up for days afterwards. She walked over towards the bed and lay down next to Sirius and kept her eyes on the roof, same as him. It was enchanted so that they could see the stars shining brightly in the sky.
Sirius was thinking about what would happen if something happened to Harry. None of them had a clue where he was, or Ron and Hermione. The three of them quite literally vanished into thin air. James was a wreck over it and they tried everything to find them but it was as if they had literally apparated into the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. He couldn't bare the idea that something could had happened to him. His eyes travelled over to the brunette laying by his left. Silent as ever and lost in her thoughts. Brown eyes casted up on the sky.
"Do you remember when we got paired in Astrology and had to do that project?" Magnolia suddenly questioned, eyes remaining of the sky. Her brows furrowed gently as she recalled their sixth year. "The one where we had to try and identify all those constellations and stars..."
Sirius knew what she was talking about straight away. She was speaking about the Astrology Assignment when they were in sixth year, the start of their relationship. It was shortly after October, he remembered, and they were paired much to both their annoyance. Sirius remembered finding it almost entertaining to see how much Magnolia disliked him, hated as she put it herself. He remembered her even asking to switch partners. It was the start of them, their entire relationship (of course James played a big part in their relationship) but ultimately those few hours weekly nighttime for Astrology made Sirius and Magnolia fall in love.
"That's how our entire relationship started, of course I remember it." Sirius replied.
"No our entire relationship started when you made that bet with James that you could become 'friends' with me."
Sirius' nose scrunched, "I am sorry about that--"
"It was years ago."
"Still, I was an arse."
"That doesn't surprise me at this stage." Magnolia replied instantly.
Sirius wished there was someway he could bottle up the laugh that left her throat and keep it on him forever. It was the only thing that he could smile at these days, her. "I love you."
Magnolia turned to look at him, keeping her eyes on him. Sirius moved closer to her, body against hers as he brought a hand up to the side of her face. He smiled at her, an actual smile. A smile she saw in some of the happiest moments of her life. She remembered the first time Sirius smiled at her, not in a teasing or annoying way, but a proper Sirius smile. It was the first time they ever had a civil, genuine conversation with one another and of course they were both drunk when it happened. She was anyways, she couldn't remember if he was or not. He walked her back to the castle (to the surprise of James who had never seen Sirius leave a party early) and she remembered him throwing a blanket over her and he smiled. Just a plain, simple smile. It made her heart melt as it did even a decade later. It was the smile Sirius gave her at the top of the aisle on their wedding day, the smile she received the first time they danced in one another's arms, lay with one another, the first time her fingertips grazed across his chest after they kissed.
(There was another time. Magnolia also recalled seeing Sirius smile like that at someone else but she couldn't remember who. She remembered seeing him smile at someone the same way he did at her, adoration but, as she thought, she couldn't remember who.)
His smile was her elation: he was the peace to her mind, the only person who could make her believe nothing she could do would disappoint.
Sirius Black was her elation.
Being with him always felt like she had a home. Being with him assured her that there was a good side to the world and that love truly was something that made you better. She spent years thinking it was somewhat foolish to fall in love, thinking that it made you weak, she believed that to ever care for someone to the point where you would put a ring around your finger to let the world know you were finished with anyone else was insane. How the tables turned, she thought, placing her hand on top of Sirius'.
(Which is why she couldn't stop asking herself why she never tried to break Sirius out of Azkaban. It was Sirius. Magic or not, why did she never try hard enough?)
She leaned forward, "Of course you do, I'm the best." She replied before turning on her side and flicking off the light with the movement of her hand.
"You did not just reply that."
"I did." She told him pulling the covers over her body. She waited a moment before adding, "I do love you though."
"That's what I thought." She heard him mumble.
Magnolia woke up the following morning, not feeling well at all. She had this bad feeling the moment she woke up and the air was cold and crisp when she rose from the bed. Sirius was sleeping beside her and she brought her fingers along his muscular arm. A groan left his lips and she would have apologised for waking him but he was a light sleeper anyways. When he lifted his head, his eyes were red and once again, he was crying in his sleep. This wasn't the first time that happened.
"Nightmare?"
"No." He mentioned, rising up and stretching his limbs. He fixed his shirt whilst adding that, "Haven't a clue why that keeps happening. I don't even know what I was dreaming about."
Magnolia found that worrying but even at that Sirius told her she was mumbling things in her sleep, which she had never done before. It was the toll of the second war on them.
The two of them left the tent that morning and did what they usually did. They had decided it was time to switch again and they needed to go one of the new location sites in their many headquarters around England. They begun packing away all of there belongings. She was standing outside the tent whereas most of the other people were still packing there stuff.
That was until someone blew the siren, which had never been done before. The siren was placed in one of the highest trees in the forest and it was only blown when someone passed the line into the forest by a magical entrance.
Everyone rushed out of their tents.
"Is that the—"
"Does that mean that someone is here?"
Magnolia had known the answer to the questions immediately and naturally everyone looked at her. Sirius came out of his tent, pushing past the crowd and grabbing her hand. She had no been fearful of this. Instead, she expected it. It was only a matter of time before someone came and tried to stop them.
(If anything she was just surprised it took them this long).
"Hide." James was ordering to them all and no one hesitated to do as he said. Some of them apparated but many did not. "Hide now!"
"Come on!" Sirius says quickly, taking her hand into his one. "We need to go."
Magnolia opened her portal and they all stepped into it instantly. Just her, Sirius, Remus and James and she brought them to the opposite side of the forest within seconds. She would not go any further. They landed down beside the stone wall a good bit away from the camp.
James went to speak but Sirius clasped a hand over his mouth when he heard the upcoming footsteps. It was followed by grunts of men or so it sounded like to did. Followed by these grunts were tossing.
"Please," The sound of Geraldine caught Magnolia's ears, the mother of two twins who were hiding in one of the tents. A mother, someone who needed to be there for her two children. Her voice was full of fear. "Please, don't. I have two children. They can't--"
There was silence.
"Magnolia don't!" Remus began quickly but it was too late. Magnolia pushed up from her spot and her hands did the work for her. She managed to get one of them, the black short haired woman, thrown away.
And that was it.
Magnolia extended her hands, moving quickly at the two men and was surprised to see how little of them there was. There was only a few, less than seven. Sirius went for the tall, blonde haired man instantly. Her magic did the work and none of them could, despite their wands, block her magic from them. Her back pressed against Sirius', who was dodging every spell at this side with ease.
"Stop! You need to stop--"
A scream caught Magnolia's ears, a somewhat frightened, startled scream that echoed throughout the forest. Almost instantly, she found she looked up at the sound. It had been the girl, she knew that instantly for some reason. Or she presumed so. Her voice was rather high pitched, like a child. She sounded scared and that had her feeling strange. She was brought back into reality when she heard Sirius groan and saw that, he too, paused and looked up.
She continued fighting amongst the three men beside Sirius, and knocked them down with ease.
Finally after finishing the last man off, who fell down to the ground, she turned to the girl.
It was more certainty not a woman like they said, it was a girl. No more than nineteen but Magnolia could barely tell if she was even human. She looked ill, dehydrated maybe. Her raven colored hair was down to her ribcage, very long and messy. It was thrown back into a low ponytail behind her shoulders but probably got broken in the chaos. She was small, very fragile looking. Magnolia was sure that if someone threw a spell at her she would break into pieces. Her shirt did not fit her and was hanging from her bones. Magnolia saw the back of her head was bleeding from when she hit the tree and she had bruised along her collarbones that looked as though they spread to her chest. She saw how she was breathing so heavily, like she had never moved before in her life.
Still, Magnolia paused.
Magnolia followed her gaze and found she was looking at Sirius. Even Magnolia could see why she appeared shocked. Sirius' wand was on the ground, as was her, and he tried to grab his wand when the opposite man threw a curse at him. In one swift movement, he halted himself forward locating a small rock on the ground and turned quickly catching the man's face in it, blood bled from his left ear right down through his jawline. Plus he wore that aggressive, murderous look in his eyes. Magnolia put her hands down when she saw he was in no danger and instead turned back to the girl.
She met her eye and Magnolia only saw how young she was then. She had soft eyes.
Magnolia went forward.
"Don't," The girl began and Magnolia found herself surprised at her tone. Her voice was hoarse, and if she heard correctly she almost sounded nervous. She automatically, without realising it, had stopped in her tracks. "You can't, you'll die."
There was a certainty in her tone, "Pretty sure, I'll win." Magnolia pushed aside how she felt when she heard her voice, she was spoken like she was scared but certain. There was a tremble in her voice and she sounded so hoarse to the point where it sounded as though it hurt to talk.
She replicated Magnolia's certainty when she claimed that, "No, you won't."
"I will." Magnolia told her before she extended her hands, a sensation flooded through her body and she watched as blue sparks rose from her fingertips. Magnolia did not raise her hands towards her yet.
For the first time ever, she was greeted with someone who did not flinch when seeing her magic. "You'll lose."
Magnolia looked at her and slowly her hands went to her side.
She closed her eyes, the girl did, for just a second. Just a fraction of a second and Magnolia watched as she vaguely saw a lining of purple sparks beginning to form in her veins right down to her fingertips. From the tips of her fingers, light started to form. Magnolia stopped when realising what she was doing, she wasn't just any old witch, that was an Aleksander. The magic in her hands, she could see it forming. Magnolia dropped her hands and looked at her. Suddenly, Sirius, who had seen what was about to happen, ran over and collided down with the girl to the ground. An instant scream left the girls lips whilst Sirius held his wand to her throat. Even Magnolia flinched at the sound of not only her scream but the impact of her body with the ground.
"Sirius wait!" Magnolia shouted, running forward in her spot but it was no use because he did not hear her over the fighting and he was just finished the spell.
That was until the girl let out a cry and Magnolia found that all the rest of the noise faded into oblivion when that happened. Sirius must have felt the same because he moved away instantly, instantly. Like he didn't even need to think. Magnolia could not even look at Sirius and found her attention went solely to the girl. She stood from the ground after pushing Sirius back (which she knew that Sirius could have simply not moving but did). An impending sensation of guilt took over her, straight away and she realised something was wrong...something she did was wrong.
That girl, who is this girl?
Sirius seemed to be thinking the same exact thing because he was just staring at her. Just looking right at her. In all her years on knowing him, she never seen the look on his face right now and when she took a closer look at him she saw his eyes were glistening. Magnolia looked from Sirius and the girl.
The black haired girls hand raised to her mouth and she took a step back. Neither Magnolia or Sirius went near her again, finding something about the situation entirely wrong. Something had been wrong. The small sobs, because that what they were, that were coming from the girls mouth had the two of them unable to move. Frozen in their spot. Hearts quenching with every passing second. Eyes kept on the girl who did not look in their direction again, and instead brought her hands down from her throat to mumble some words they didn't understand.
Behind them, they could still hear James and the man fighting but this, for some reason, she, seemed more important.
Since Sirius and Magnolia were both frozen and unintentionally analysing her, the two of them both saw the dark look that surpassed her eyes. Remus, who had not noticed how his two friends stopped, ran forward wand extended. But Remus had paused for some reason, in his tracks and was looking at the girl.
Who is this girl?
A scream left the girls lips, one that sounded about a dozen times more louder than any other scream. Not one of fear or terror but it was one of (what they presumed had been) agony. Like one a person would give if they were being hurt either physically or mentally. By the sounds, this one was both. It screeched throughout their ears and every single person around them felt as though their brains were being tormented. Magnolia did not have a chance to even keep her eyes on the girl for a second because out from her hands blasted a wall of fiery red particles, that all joined as a circle around her. They were all knocked back to the ground instantly and Sirius saw James' body collide with a tree in the distance. Remus fell right down, ears bleeding and turning unconscious. Underneath her fingertips, around the circle, fire lifted from underneath the ground. The trees all knocked down to the ground, not any that were close enough to hurt any of them and when they hit the floor fire spread to them and the wind that arrived made it impossible for them to move.
However, it did not look to be under her control.
When Magnolia was able to stand from the ground, surpassing the shook of seeing what this girl was doing (not to even mention that she could see the water from the lake far away in front of them was rising), she looked at her.
And she only realised that the girl in fact did not know what she was doing because her grey eyes opened and she was utterly terrified of what happened. Magnolia noticed her eyes filled with more tears when she saw what had happened.
The man, Magnolia did not like the way he came over and gripped her arm. He whispered something to her and none of them could hear because their eardrums felt like they were on fire. But when they saw that the girl, who was pale and seemed to be on the verge of collapsing, nodded lowly taking his arm was leaving it was enough to make Magnolia rise from the ground. Sirius got up so fast and was limping towards the girl, an inaudible message coming from his lips.
"Wait—" Magnolia shouted as loud but she was gone, they were gone.
The air turned cold the second they left and silence took over once again. Sirius was frozen in his spot, as had Magnolia been. Both of them trying to gather their separate thoughts. Sirius put his hands on his knees like he couldn't breathe, which was the cause.
"Somethings wrong." Magnolia mumbles to herself.
"That man," The voice of Remus from behind them made both Sirius and Magnolia turn around. He stood up from the ground, hand going to his bleeding head. His eyes were widened. "The book, your grimoire. There's a picture of him in it, it says he was friends with Runskin. I read it days ago."
That was probably the only thing that could take their attention away from the girl.
"Runskin?" Sirius repeated, turning around. "Remus. You're mistaken-"
"Eldest friends, it said. There's a picture of them both in it." Remus says, only looking at Magnolia.
Magnolia felt the forest around her become small within seconds. She turned around.
"You're saying that he might be back?" Sirius scoffed in disbelief. Only Magnolia could hear the fear behind that sentence. "No, that's impossible. We've trapped him in that place."
Magnolia kept quiet. It was as if there were two of Voldemort after coming out of nowhere over the last few months.
"There's only one way we'll know for sure." Magnolia says. She found herself not concerned with it but was more focused on the girl. She composure herself quickly. "I'm going to need to open a portal to the Other World."
★ ★ ★
DRAMA.
Now obviously the end of this chapter was like three pushing four months before Aurora (as seen in the previous chapter) decided to go to the Other World so who knows if they'll end up being there at the same time!! You'll just have to see what happens in the next chapter and IF they got there at the same and WHO ELSE might be there!
This was definitely more so in Magnolia's perspective compared to Sirius' which I didn't intent for it to be but I'm still happy enough. I think if i wrote it in sirius' viewpoint and feelings you would bascially only see his utter confusion at why he felt heartbreak over what happened
This chapter kept glitching so hopefully it's uploaded finely! Remember to comment and vote <3
I am SO excited to start writing the Runskin chapter flashback! Considering he is the antagonist of Aurora's story for this book AND the first person in her bloodline with powers, I think it's important to show him. Runskin basically manipulated their memories and made them think different things from reality: how Remus and Jackie met/ Mango.
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